The present invention relates to a pocket hand tool comprising a carrier having a peripheral array of tool heads.
A pocket hand tool is disclosed in WO 03074236A. This tool comprises a handle which carries a pivoted arm, the arm being foldable within the body of the tool. The arm carries a rotary tool carrier exposed on one face at its distal end. The rotary tool carrier carries a regular circular array of three screwdriver bits. The tool carrier can be rotated in steps of 120° under the control of a spring-loaded sliding detent mechanism to deploy selectively any one of the screwdriver bits. It is necessary to retract the spring-loaded slider (using, for example, a thumb of one hand) before rotating the tool carrier (using, for example, the fingers of the other hand). In each case the deployed screwdriver bit project forwardly from the distal end of the arm, parallel with its longitudinal axis. To stow all the screwdriver bits, it is necessary to fold the arm within the body of the tool. Accordingly, single-handed operation is not possible.
GB 2152419A discloses a screwdriver having a disc-shaped rotary bit carrier enclosed within a generally circular casing, the casing having an arcuate cut-out portion from which screwdriver bits can be selectively deployed. The screwdriver bits are disposed in a circular array. In one embodiment the rotary bit carrier has four screwdriver bits with an angle between two of the bits which is slightly great than the angle subtended by the arcuate cut-out portion, to allow a stowed configuration in which all the bits are enclosed within the casing. However it is not easy to rotate the bit carrier from the stowed orientation to a deployed orientation.